Freestone · Mixed · Borders

Whiteadder Water

Whiteadder Water venue image
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The Whiteadder is a tributary of the lower Tweed that joins just above Berwick, draining the Lammermuir Hills through Duns and Chirnside.

Prime · Brown Trout
Elk Hair Caddis · 12-16
Primelive now
About as good as it gets
Low and clear — careful approach country. Take your time — read the water before you cast.
75% confidence
What moved it
  • Level0.29 mLast reading 1h ago
  • Water temp13.6°C
  • ClarityClear
Today’s fly
Elk Hair Caddis
Elk Hair Caddis12-16
High-confidence seasonal pick
Conditions on the water
Live gauge
Level
Steady
0.29 m
Last reading 1h ago
Water temp13.6°C
ClarityClear
Weather12°C
WindW 9 km/h
Pressure1021 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm
Rain · ahead5.7 mm

Live readings — water temperature is an estimate where the gauge does not record it.

Water temperature for brown trout
Ideal
14°C est.ideal 1016°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for brown trout
When
Nymphing can work through most of the day.
Where
Cover mixed depths.
Method
Start with tight-line nymphs and adjust if fish rise or drift higher.
Kit
9 ft #4 rod, floating line, 12 ft tapered leader to 4–5 lb fluoro tippet.
Why this works
Excellent — water temperature is working for you, but time of day is the limiting factor today.
Hatch timeline · todayQuiet day

Hatch predictions

Today's headline hatch shown — see all 10 active hatches hour by hour with Pro.

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Evidence
Survey-backed · regionalModerate confidence

Backed by regional invertebrate surveys; no sampling on this exact reach yet.

Through the year
0–3 scale · July highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Daddy Long LegsHatch
2
3
2
GrannomHatch
2
2
Evening SedgeHatch
2
3
3
3
2
Large Dark OliveHatch
1
2
2
1

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Ranked for today
Brown Trout fly box
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Other water nearby · 5
Gallery · 1
  1. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
About this water

The Whiteadder is a tributary of the lower Tweed that joins just above Berwick, draining the Lammermuir Hills through Duns and Chirnside. It is one of the best small-stream wild trout rivers in the Borders — underrated next to the Tweed itself but arguably more rewarding for the angler who enjoys intimate water and willing fish. The river above Duns is proper small-stream water: pockets, short runs, overhanging willows, trout that rise to a dry fly with enthusiasm. Below Duns it broadens out and starts to feel more like its parent river. Whiteadder Angling Club and Duns Castle permits cover most of the fishable water and are cheap and accessible. The trout are not large — six to ten ounces is the average — but they are wild, numerous, and beautifully marked. A fine antidote to the pressure and price of the Tweed itself, and a perfect river for teaching somebody to fish.

  • Mixed
Water quality (WFD)
  • EcologyModerate
  • ChemicalUnknown

SEPA (Scotland) · UKSC005101

The full read · show the working · for brown trout · confidence 75%
How the 80 is built — score × weight = contribution
Temperature100 × 28%28.0
Flow80 × 22%17.6
Clarity95 × 18%17.1
Feeding Time40 × 13%5.2
Pressure80 × 7%5.6
Insect activity52 × 12%6.2
Conditions total= 80
Can you trust it?
Water temperatureair-to-water estimateestimated
Level / flowon-river gaugeobserved
Prey activitysurvey-backed invertebrate datasurvey
What would change the calculation
The dawn and dusk windows score higher than the midday lull.
Related guides
Booking & contacts